Nikon Precision Incorporated

Kla Tencor Corporation

Anf Technology Limited

Other

Ilya Grodnensky

Kyoichi Suwa

Eric R Johnson

Jon Opsal

Heath A Pois

Kazuo Ushida

Steve Slonaker

Shigeru Hirukawa

Etsuya Morita

Toshihiro Sasaya

Method for producing a nanocomposite material reinforced by unidirectionally oriented pre-dispersed alumina nanofibers. The process is suited for industrial-scale production of the nanocomposite materials. The nanocomposite production process involves, synthesis of unidirectionally oriented pre-dispersed alumina nanofibers, casting a mat of pre-dispersed nanofibers with a predetermined orientation in the atmosphere of air or other gas(es) by saturating the nanofibers with liquid polymer matrix. Polymer matrix may include thermosets or/and thermoplastics. The material forming the polymer matrix may be heated to its melting point temperature to transform it to liquid phase. After saturation, the polymer matrix is hardened by lowering its temperature or by means of exposing the polymer matrix to UV radiation, electron beam and/or chemical hardeners. The nanomaterial is composed of polymer composite with homogeneously dispersed uniformly oriented reinforcing nanofibers. Subsequently, the nanofibers in the nanocomposite are dispersed by means of subjecting to hydrodynamic stress, mechanical or/and ultrasound coarse dispersing.

Method and apparatus for producing a nanocomposite material reinforced by unidirectionally oriented pre-dispersed alumina nanofibers

A method for producing a nanocomposite material reinforced by alumina AlOnanofibers involving synthesizing the alumina Al2O3 nanofibers directly from a melt comprising molten metallic aluminum, the method comprising a controlled liquid phase oxidation of the melt, wherein the synthesized alumina AlOnanofibers have a diameter between 3 and 45 nm and length of more than 100 nm and combining the synthesized alumina AlOnanofibers with a polymer matrix to produce the nanocomposite material reinforced by the alumina AlOnanofibers. The alumina AlOnanofibers may be monocrystalline alumina AlOnanofibers. The alumina AlOnanofibers and the molecules of the polymer may be aligned.

Nanocomposite material containing alumina nanofibers and method for making same

A method for producing a nanocoating reinforced by alumina AlOnanofibers involving synthesizing the alumina Al2O3 nanofibers directly from a melt comprising molten metallic aluminum, the method comprising a controlled liquid phase oxidation of the melt, wherein the synthesized alumina AlOnanofibers have a diameter between 3 and 45 nm and length of more than 100 nm and combining the synthesized alumina AlOnanofibers with a polymer matrix to produce the nanocoating material reinforced by the alumina AlOnanofibers. The nanocoating is then applied onto a surface of a substrate using any known coating technique, such as by means of a roll coater. The alumina AlOnanofibers may be monocrystalline alumina AlOnanofibers. The alumina AlOnanofibers and the molecules of the polymer may be aligned.

Apparatus and method for producing coatings reinforced with alumina nanofibers

An optical metrology method is disclosed for evaluating the uniformity of characteristics within a semiconductor region having repeating features such a memory die. The method includes obtaining measurements with a probe laser beam having a spot size on the order of micron. These measurements are compared to calibration information obtained from calibration measurements. The calibration information is derived by measuring calibration samples with the probe laser beam and at least one other technology having added information content. In the preferred embodiment, the other technology includes at least one of spectroscopic reflectometry or spectroscopic ellipsometry.

High resolution monitoring of CD variations

A test mark, as well as methods for forming and using the test mark to facilitate the measurement of the critical dimensions of etched features in semiconductor and other wafer level processing is described. The test marks may be used to characterize, calibrate and/or monitor etch performance. Test marks are defined by imaging (typically at partial exposures) overlapping, angularly offset lines in a resist that covers a layer to be etched. The lines preferably have line widths that are equal (or related) to a critical dimension of interest. After the resist is developed and otherwise processed, the layer is etched as appropriate, thereby creating the test marks. The test marks are then imaged to facilitate the determination of a geometric parameter of each mark. Most commonly, the geometric parameter determined relates to the area of the mark and/or the length of its major dimension. These parameters can then be used to approximate a critical dimension of interest based at least in part on the determined geometric parameter of the test mark.

Measurement of critical dimensions of etched features

Apparatus for performing measurement of a dimension of a test marked formed by overlapping feature imaged onto a an image forming layer of a semiconductor wafer and the calculation of the critical dimensions of the features from test mark. This is used in semiconductor processing. Also included is software configured to program a measurement device to perform the measurement and calculation of the dimension of a test mark.

Apparatus for preforming measurement of a dimension of a test mark for semiconductor processing

Variation in position of test marks formed of overlapping exposed features imaged by an imaging structure such as that of a lithography tool are characterized at high speed and with extremely high accuracy by imaging test marks formed in resist or on a target or wafer by a lithographic process, collecting irradiance distribution data and fitting a mathematical function to respective portions or regions of output data corresponding to a test mark of a test mark pattern such as respective maxima or minima regions or other regions of the irradiance distribution data to determine actual location and shift of position of respective patterns of test marks. Metrology fields are formed of patterns of test marks on test wafers or production wafers preferably including a critical dimension exposed at different focus distances and/or illumination conditions to capture position/aberration data for the imaging structure. The imaging structure can then be adjusted or corrected to minimize or eliminate aberrations of performance of the imaging structure or the performance on a complete lithographic process and/or to achieve overlay positioning with high accuracy and minimal requirements for wafer space.

Method and apparatus for position measurement of a pattern formed by a lithographic exposure tool

Increased accuracy of measurement of variation of a critical dimension is achieved through measurement of area of a test mark by detection of intensity of radiation such as broadband light with which at least a portion of a test mark is imaged. The test mark is preferably formed by partial lithographic exposures of overlapping features, preferably lines having a width approximating a critical dimension of interest and at a shallow angle to each other such that the test mark has the shape of a parallelogram or rhombus.

Method and apparatus for dimension measurement of a pattern formed by lithographic exposure tools

A method for forming a critical dimension test mark, and the use of the mark to characterize and monitor imaging performance is provided. Methods in accordance with the present invention encompass an exposure of an essentially standard critical dimension bar at each of two overlapping orientations that are rotated about an axis with respect to each other. The overlapped portion forming a critical dimension test mark that is useful for enabling low cost, rapid determination of sub-micron critical dimensions for characterizing exposure tool imaging performance and in-process performance monitoring using optical measurement systems.

Method for use of a critical dimensional test structure

A method of characterizing photolithographic tool performance is presented. Variations in performance over an image or exposure field are evaluated and contributions to the variation due to the partial coherence factor of the tool separated from other contributing factors. Methods of determining the relative magnitude of these variations is provided and a photolithographic tool that incorporates these methods described.

Method of characterizing photolithographic tool performance and photolithographic tool thereof

Method for forming a critical dimension test structure and its use

A method and apparatus for determining performance characteristics in lithographic tools includes projecting a predetermined image with a projection system having a known predetermined performance characteristic to obtain data indicative of the relationship between the size of the projected image and the predetermined performance characteristic. The same image is then projected in a system having an unknown value for the predetermined performance characteristic. The predetermined performance characteristic for the system under consideration is then determined based on the data obtained when the image was projected in the system having the known predetermined performance characteristic.

Growing community of inventors

Foster City, CA, United States of America

Ilya Grodnensky